plummet wrote:So If you are limited to 1 kite quiver. 10m is the starting size i would recommend. it will do 90% of the wind range. 16-25 is right in the sweet zone for your average weight rider on teh average 10m.

You will sacrifice a few knots at the bottom end. But thats the boring end any way. You can hold the 10m to late 20's a hell of a lot easier than a 12m....

Then build your quiver around the 10m as required. get an 8m if you have extended winds of 25+ knots and 14+ meter if you have winds bellow 15 knots on a regular basis

Ditto on that ....though you should take local 'normal' wind conditions into account. I spent almost my first year and a half kiting on a 10m Vegas.

I think it does not really damage the kite....but dont do it for a whole sesson! if a kite flutters it is because it has too much depower ! i ride my 15m from 8 knots to about 23 (gusts) when more come i just depower fully and cruise upwind to the starting point again.....on my lake the wind is also very gusty and its rare to be able to use anything below a 12 (my 12 works untill about 30 knots (in gusts), but the 9m works alot better with more control.....but with winds gusting between 8 knots and 30 i always use the 12m.....just allow space down wind if anything happens......to be honest dont use the 9m that often.......

neb_16 wrote:Hey everyone, I am a kiter up here on lake Erie. Being a poor graduate student, I could only purchase one kite, and decided on a Switchblade IDS 12m. It flies like a dream, and I love it. The winds on lake Erie vary greatly, and this kite's large wind range is a huge plus. I have been out in winds ranging from 12mph to 30+mph, and this kite did just fine. Anyways, here is my question:When the wind gets to about 20 or 25+, I am forced to fully trim in the depower, as well as sheath out nearly all the way while I am kiting in order to prevent becoming overpowered. This works fine and allows me to stay on the water in up to 30+mph winds (the switchblade's depower is remarkable). In these high winds and depowered conditions, however, I have noticed that the kite flutters quite a bit while I am on the water (the kite is fairly new and in great, tight condition; this fluttering is due to the full depower and de-sheath). I was just wondering if this is bad for the kite? It doesn't bother me at all, and again only occurs when fully depowered and de-sheathed in HIGH winds. Most of the time, the wind up here isn't that high, but there are those days here and there. So could this flutter during those high wind days damage the kite? Just curious. THanks!Nathan

It's bad for you, the kite is fluttering because it is in "irons". If the kite is in irons and still has the power to pull you on plane you are putting yourself in extreme risk if the wind increases even slightly. Unless you are very heavy you should not be riding a 12m in anything more then 24mph and that is being generous. Just because you cannot afford it is a dumb reason to endanger your well being. Save up for a smaller kite or get off the water when you are over powered. We've already had 3 deaths in Canada this year because of the same mistake. We don't need another.

What is "irons"? Never heard that term. I would be on a 7 meter in that kind of wind and still have plenty of power on my smaller board.

he means luffing, flapping, or fluttering."in irons" is a sailing term meaning the boat is facing the wind and drifting backwards with sails flapping, producing no force to turn to either side.The common denominator here is that depowered, flapping kites are also hard to steer, for somewhat similar reasons...But I guess a kite truly "in irons" would be falling from the sky, because of the lack of lift.Don't think the term applies well in kiting.

It is bad for your kite in longer terms, to flutter !Just like kites left on the beach flapping....

And furthermore, you are, as everybody points out, in extreme risk as IF anything goes wrong (which is much more likely when using a kite twice the size needed), you might not have time nor consciousness to react in time

Peter_Frank wrote:IF anything goes wrong (which is much more likely when using a kite twice the size needed), you might not have time nor consciousness to react in time

as always spot on advice from Peter.... think what would happen if you snapped a line or tried to use the safety release, this is of course based on the assumption that you have some regard for self preservation, as opposed to suicidal tendencies.